Alson Skinner Clark

American (1876-1949)America may claim Alson Clark as its own painter, but he is, in reality, a man of the world. Born in Chicago, his precocious ability by age eleven permitted him entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago, usually attended by high school grads. He went on to study in New York and then Paris, where he met and studied under the great James Abbott McNeill Whistler, whose influence is evident in “Seine at Night, Paris”. Although Clark was so naturally talented he could paint any subject, he became known for his Impressionistic landscapes which often featured architecture. Supported by eager collectors of his pleasing works, he was able to spend much of his life traveling to and residing at sites that inspired him. These included Canada, where he painted snow-bound cityscapes, various places on the East Coast including Charleston South Carolina, picturesque towns throughout France, Spain, and Yugoslavia as well as Panama and Mexico. Finally, when health problems brought on by his service in World War I induced his move to Southern California, he capped his illustrious career by yet another inspiring subject: California: its beaches, back country and deserts.